Device for color comparisons



April 28, 1953 l. c. BOWMAN 2,636,286

DEVICE FOR coLoR coMPARrsoNs Filed March 29, 1949 @y CEMLMM. El

Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y v 2,636,286y DEVICE FOR COLOR COMPARISONS Irwin C. Bowman, Chicago, Ill.

AApplication March 29, 1949, Serial No. 84,119

The invention relates to devices for determining'color combinations. Y

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and eiiicient device for determining a wide range of harmonious color combinations.

1 Claim. (Cl. 3528.3)

Another object of the invention isto provide l a simple device which comprises a slidably connected color chart and mask, the color chart being provided with a horizontal row of areas provided with the' major colors and auxiliary horizontal rows of color areas arranged in vertical alignment with the areas of major colors and with the colors of the auxiliary areas in each column differing from the major colors at the top of the columns, the mask being provided with means for displaying al1 of the majoi` colors and predetermined auxiliary colors for comparison, the relative sliding of the chart and mask making it possible to display a wide range of permutations of the colors.

Another object of the invention is to provide the back of the chart for determining harmonious colors, means for displaying for selection the shades and tints of each major color.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detailed description. v J

,Z The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly dened by claim at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a frontvelevation of a device embody-- ing the invention, the mask and color chart being shown in normal position;

Fig. 1. is a front elevation of the slidable color chart;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the device;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the slidable chart;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5`of Fig. 3.

The inventionis exempliiied in a devicewhic'h comprises a holder generally designated 20jwhi'ch includes a front cardor sheet 2l, a'read back card or sheet 22, the upper and lower margins of which are spaced apart bystrips V23 to form an open-ended slideway for a colorfhart generally designated 21.- The cards 21,'22 and the strips 23,are.secured together 'by rivets 25. The upper and lower edges of color chart 21 are conned for horizontal sliding1 movement 'between cards 2l and 22 by strips 23 to the right or left of the holder. s

The color chart 21 is provided at its top with a horizontal row of major areas 28 bearing a 7 blue-green, 8; blue, 9; blue-purple, 10; purple, ll; red-purple, 12.

The color chart 21 is provided below the color areas 28 with a series of horizontal rows of color areas 29 which are also arranged in columnar relation with the major color areas 28. Each horizontal row of auxiliary areas 29 bears a series of colors corresponding to the colors in the major areas 21 in the upper horizontal row but the colors in the auxiliary rows are staggered rela tively to the same colors in the areas 29 so that when the chart is masked, as hereinafter described, the colors in columnar relation will be different and be displayed in the areas 28 and predetermined areas 29 of each column for comparison of the colors. As indicated by like numerals designating the same colors in Fig. 2, each columnhas a series of colors in the areas 29 diierent from the color in the major area 28 in the same column, and each auxiliary row of areas-29 has a series of the same colors in the row of and in horizontally oiset relation to the same colors in the major areas 29.

The front card 2| of the holder functions as a mask for displaying different color combinations in the columnarly related colors in the major areas 28 and the auxiliary areas 29. The front card 2| of the holder is provided with a horizontal row of openings 30 for displaying the major color areas 28 on the chart and columnindicating lines 3l between said openings. Normally when the color chart is in the holder, as illustrated. in full lines in Fig. 1J all of the major lcolor areas 28 will be visible through and register with the openings 30, respectively. Additionally the front card 2| is provided in each column dened by lines 3| with one or more openings 33 for rendering visible predetermined colors in the auxiliary areas 29 for vertically matching the areas and 4the colors in the major row 28. vEach opening 33 is adapted to successively register with all the auxiliary color areas 29 of one horizontal row on the chart when the c'hart is slidably shifted in the holder. The openings 33 are predeterminately spotted different distances from opening 30, respectively, so that different predetermined auxiliary color areas 29 in each row will be displayed in columnar relation with the colors in the major color areas 28, respectively. The windows or openings 39 and the windows or openings 33 in the mask exemplify means for displaying diierent colors in the major areas 28 and diierent predetermined colors in the. auxiliaryl rows 29 in columnar relation by selective shift'of the chart/to the 'different 1. sitions in the holder. Preferably the areas de- 

